It’s often said of the difficult things in life: “this isn’t a sprint – it’s a marathon.” That’s especially true of divorce. Even when handled efficiently, divorce can take longer than most people expect, and it often proves to be more emotionally draining.
Thankfully, there are strategies that can make the divorce process easier. In today’s post, we’ll discuss two of those strategies: Pacing yourself and seeking outside support.
The first piece of advice, per a recent news article, is to pace yourself both emotionally and chronologically. This is especially important if there was a devastating event that ended the marriage like infidelity. If you go into the process with the desire to rush through it and/or to win at all costs, you will likely end up making mistakes that will regret later on.
To be clear, you don’t need to let the divorce drag on unnecessarily, but you should take advantage of the natural delays that occur in the court schedule. Having time to think and process is always a good thing.
The second piece of advice ties in well with the first: seek outside support. Divorce is among the most difficult life experiences a person can face, and you need to talk it out with someone. Unfortunately, too many clients end up treating their attorney like a therapist. While many attorneys are more than willing to listen, giving emotional advice is best left to professionals like therapists and counselors. If you seek support from a trained mental health specialist, you’ll likely work through your difficult feelings more effectively, and you can keep your meetings with your attorney focused on asset division, child custody and other legal matters.
Although divorce is very trying time, it can also help you transition to a brighter future. And if you take care of yourself along the way, you’ll have the energy and forward momentum to enjoy that future when it arrives.